Looks like the Cincinnati Bengals are really going to go under center more in 2026!
John Sheeran discusses the Cincinnati Bengals offense evolving ahead of the 2026 season.
Video Transcript
It was everything that we've seen from training camp realized on an actual field against a different opponent for the first time.
The Bengals ran six drop backs for Joe Burrow.
Half of them were under center.
Two of them were play action drop backs.
One of them, he ended up getting pressured on.
One of them, he did connect with Ja'Marr Chase over the middle.
It was a confirmation, I guess, to see that work from the entire, the entirety of the off-season and also training camp translate into the preseason, and it's just really confirmation in my eyes that this is not going away.
There were a couple of times in which, you know, like I, I thought Burrow should have gotten the ball out a little bit quicker on a couple of those plays.
I, I think the sack kind of, I think, miscommunicated for the Bengals, but was Joe Burrow out there for ab- about six drop backs.
He completed five of the, of his passes for about 39 yards, and yeah, it was a bit shaky on offense.
The Bengals need to be able to establish consistency running the ball from under center.
That's the only way that those play action schemes from under center are gonna work, and it allows Burrow to get some time to let some of these plays develop down the field.
